Life's Most Important Activity

Meditation must be a priority in my life. If I want to hear what God is saying, I must turn aside, get quite and listen to God. God wants to speak to us but He doesn't force Himself on us.

Exodus 3:1--Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up." When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Most of the things in our life hinges on our personal private time with God. Meditation is thinking, focusing, gleaning, serious thought, absorbing, lifting my heart heavenward, focusing on Him and shutting everything else out. Meditation is listening.

3 Essential Things in Meditation

1. Holiness in Heart: It is the habit of your life because you hunger, long, want, to be with God. You're interested in what God has to speak into your heart. You can't walk in obedience with God without meditating. This is what creates holiness; A life of Contentment; To be a Help to someone else. We are to be dependent on Him. If we don';t draw our strength from Him, we are impotent. Limitations are shattered when we spend time, meditate on Him. Meditation requires a priority in my life. I must be will to turn aside to turn to God.

2. Meditation requires a place. Give God His own place. Build an altar to the Lord.

3. Purpose. I want to get to know God in Whom I've entrusted my whole future, whose name I bear, in whom I trust, whom I want to be like. I want an intimate relationship with God. Plan: read, then be quite.

10 things meditation will do to you

1. it will quite your spirit.
2. it will enlighten your mind.
3. there is a divine, emotional, spiritual energy that comes from meditation.
4. it will purify your heart.
5. it enlarges your view of God and what He's like.
6. it increases our love for God.
7. increased sense of His power, authority, sovereignty.
8. it strengthens our faith.
9. it sensitizes us to the presence of God.
10. it shapes and conforms us like Jesus.

The Necessity

John 1:19--Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Here, John identifies JC as the Lamb of God. That means that JC came to take away the sin of the world. John's answer told how JC would accomplish God's mission for His life.

Blood sacrifices:
Genesis 4-Blood shed for the person;
Exodus 12-Blood shed for the household;
Leviticus 16-Blood shed for a nation;
John 1-Blood shed for the whole world.

Why is the Blood of JC essential

Ep 1:7--In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Forgive=take away. Through the Blood of Jesus, our sins were taken away.

JC fulfilled the purpose of all those OT sacrifices.

Without the Blood, there would be no forgiveness

Romans 5:9--Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Our justification comes through the Blood. God has declared all those who have accepted JC as the Lamb of God no longer guilty; righteous in the eyes of God.

Romans 5:17--For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

The Lamb of God has to have been spotless. JC is the only sinless person to ever live. He was the only one who was qualified to atone for all of our sins. Without the Blood, there is no justification. Otherwise would cause

Col 1:19--For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

The Blood made it possible to stand before God as holy and spotless. We were separated from God through our sin. But the Blood reconciled us to God through His Son.

Hebrews 13:12--And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.

The Blood made us sanctified. We are set apart for the purpose of God. We don't belong to God. We surrendered ourselves to God when we accepted JC. Sanctification is an ongoing process.

The Blood cleanses us of sin. Confession and repentance takes care of our relationship with Him.

Unforgiveness

When we became B, we forfeited our right to withhold forgiveness.

We you don't deal with unforgiveness, bitterness takes root in your life. It affects in ways you realize and ways you don't realize.

Ephesians 4:26--In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. He kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Forgiveness=giving up right to retaliation, getting even; surrendering resentment, bitterness, etc. Giving up the pay back, no buts. Just as JC forgave us, we are obligated to forgive others. We have forfeited our right to hold unforgiveness in our heart. We cannot defend a spirit of forgiveness, scripturally.

Unforgiveness is like an acid inside me that is destroying me little by little. It is destructive by nature. When a B is unforgiving, we are out of character. It takes HS to free a person from the pain of anger, resentment, bitterness, etc. Because we have been forgiven, we are obligated to be forgiving.

When you have not forgiven someone, you are in bondage. You can't walk away from it. You have to deal with it. It affects how you relate to everyone around you.

Just as you can forgive others, you can forgive yourself. Unforgiveness affects your spiritual growth. It can cause you to doubt your very salvation.

The Lord's Prayer
Matthew 6:9--"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 'For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

There is a difference between the forgiveness of God that pardons us for our sins and the forgiveness of our daily sins. JC is talking about how if we don't forgive others, then God won't forgive our daily sins. Thus, our relationship with the Father suffers. We can't ask God to forgive our daily sins if we are not willing to forgive the day to day sins of others. JC is not suggesting that we can lose our salvation because God won't forgive us because we haven't forgiven someone else. We must be willing to let God deal with/handle whatever is going on in our lives.

It is never the will of God to have an unforgiving spirit.

If a person does NOT forgive those who wronged him/her, the consequences are subtle. It alters his thinking. That person grows critical. Through his conversation he will reveal his spirit of unforgiveness. It affects his character. It affects their personality, their being. It also affects their personality. There's no joy or happiness in the life of a bitter person. They can't hide their bitterness.

It also affects the human body: heart, blood-pressure, etc. God did not create us to live in unforgiveness. Through PHS, we can lay it down, we can have peace in the midst of turmoil and chaos.

Unforgiveness affects every relationship. It's a serious sin. Unforgiveness can be the cause of unanswered prayer. It affects your worship. Your soul cannot not be if when it has a spirit of bitterness.

Unforgiveness affects your perspective.

Acknowledge that you have an unforgiving spirit. Name the person and their wrong doing. Confess your unforgiveness. Pray that God gives you the strength to lay down your unforgiveness. Chose to no longer hold a spirit of unforgiveness towards the other person. It's a decision that YOU make.

Answered Prayer: Our Assurance

We have the authority to approach Holy God because of our relationship to JC; inherited sons/daughters of the living God.

What does it mean to pray in JC's name?

1. Association-When we come to God in JC's name, this means we're coming to Him based on our association with JC. Our association is based on our recognition of our sinfullness; our separation from God; our asking JC to forgive us of our sins based on what He did at Calvary; we're forgiven of our sins; we are reconciled unto Him; He adopts us into His family, having forgiven us of our sins; we are children of God; we are joint heirs with JC; He's our Savior, our LORD, and our Master.

John 15:4--Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Our relationship with God is based on our relationship with His Son, JC.

2. Access-we recognize that JC is our access to the Father

Ephesians 2:18--He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

JC came to this world, dies on the cross as a substitute, took upon Him our sins, and gave us His righteousness. We are clothed in His holiness, which allows us to approach God's throne.

Ephesians 3:11--11according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Hebrews 4:13--Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Only those who are under the blood of JC can approach the throne of God. Our access to God the Father to answer prayer is through His Son, JC. This is because of His work on the cross, justifying our sins and reconciling us to God and His righteousness that is inside us. This allows us to face Holy God, Him to hear us, and Him to answer our prayer.

3. Authority-because of our familial relationship with God, we can approach Him in boldness and confidence. We don't deserve this but God loves us some much He's granted us the privilege to come before Him and call Him "Father."

4. Agreement with His will-to pray in JC's name is to ask God to give you whatever JC would've asked of the Father on your behalf. God will carry our His will in your life even if you don't know His will. He will guide your life because you are obedient to Him.

God reveals His will for us through His word. This is God primary way of directing us. God sent us HS to guide us.

5. Awareness of our dependence upon Him-approach Him in humility. He wants us to come to Him in submission.

6. Assurance that He will grant our petition

How to Maintain The Spirit-Filled Life

Salvation is a result of JC's work, not mine. When God forgives my sins, they are forgiven forever. Salvation is the gift of God through JC. Maintaining that salvation is the work of God, not the believer.

But, as a B, I am responsible for maintaining my spirit-filled life. How do we maintain this life?

Galatians 5:16--So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Romans 8:14--Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.F35 And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

HS leads from within. One of HS's responsibilities is to lead us. SPL if a moment by moment of reliance on HS to guide us; to be lead by the HS. Any time I choose to sin, I choose to say no to HS. There is no way to maintain SPL and walk in disobedience.

How do I deal with sin?

I must understand what my relationship to sin is. Victory does not come through confession and repentance.

Romans 6:11--In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

We are dead to sin's appeal. Stop letting sin govern your life. JC's work on the cross changed our relationship to sin.

Romans 6:18--You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Before we received JC as our LORD and Savior, we were slaves to sin. Once we received JC as LORD and Savior, our relationship to sin is different. Satan lies to us telling us that we are weak and we can't resist him. But we are not as weak as he would want us to think because we have the power and strength of HS inside us. Therefore sin shall not be master over us. God does not intend for us to be mastered by sin. God has provided for this. We have been freed from sin. As a B, in order to sin, we have to consent to sin in order to sin. In other words, we can't be forced or compelled to sin. We have to assent, yield, relent to sin. We can submit to satan's desire for us to sin. But we have HS to instruct us and guide us away from sin.

We must recognize that our mind is the battlefield of sin.

Romans 8:5--Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Set your mind on the things of HS (which are the things of God.) Therefore, we will develop the character of JC. The things of the flesh no longer fit who we are (in JC). If I'm sensitive to the things of God, I won't carry out the things of the flesh.

The battle does NOT start at the point of temptation. But, by that point, we're already defeated. There's a battle before the battle. We have to learn how to deal with the thoughts that come our way before the become a problem. It's not a sin that an evil thought comes our way. We have to determine whether we entertain the thought. If I'm walking in the HS, anything contrary to that is not a part of who we are. It begins with the thought itself. Once you begin to entertain the thoughts, you're then defeated. You are to begin to deal with it as soon as the thought comes. You can do that because sin is no longer our master. We are from from it.

The Key to Contentment

Contentment is the ability to cope with the circumstances of life; a sense of sufficiency in our sufficiency in JC. a sense of inner peace, inner quietness, inner rest that is undisturbed by outward circumstances. Anxiety says we are not in control. We bring ourselves anxiety. It is an obstacle to our faith.

Philippians 4:6--Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Anxiety is a thief in the life of the believer. Anxious moments steal moments of joy. You cannot be anxious and enjoy the blessings of God.

Anxiety can become a stronghold in the life of a believer. Satan occupied strongholds cloud the life of a believer.

Anxiety is a detriment to your decision making abilities. It paralyzes us from making wise decisions in our life.

It is a health hazard.

It is a sin against God and ourselves. Paul tells us to stop being anxious for anything. Believers have no grounds to be anxious for anything.

It breeds self-centeredness.

The root of anxiety is the fear of our inability to cope, the unknown, the lack of control, etc.

Unbelief is another root. When our emotions of our anxiety overwhelm us, it throws us into a state of fear. In order to live in contentment I need to separate myself from God's whens and hows.

Another root is attempting to play God. ("Thanks G, but I think I can handle this one.") We think we are capable of handling certain circumstances. The attempt to order my life according to my desire instead of the desire of God. God won't allow you to become self-sufficient. You will feel incapable and you will experience anxiety.

Steps towards Contentment

Confession of your inability, inadequacy to deal with your sin, guilt, etc. Transformation of the inner-man. Recognizing that we are incapable of saving ourselves, forgiving our sins, etc.

Isaiah 48:22--"There is no peace," says the LORD , "for the wicked."
Isaiah 57:21--"There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

Wickedness is when a person wilfully and knowingly rejects God's right to forgiving his sins, Lordship in his life, and JC's work on the cross. There is no peace for the wicked. If you are not a believer, you will not be able to experience true contentment. You will not be able to experience the inner peace and rest unless you trust JC as your Lord and Savior.

How do we live in contentment?

Satan will blindside us, and we will experience moments of anxiety. But we can remain unmoved regardless.

1. Pray as an expression of personal worship. Begin to worship God and talk to Him in a God centered prayer expressing out worship to Him and worship His omniscience, omnipresence, and His omnipotence.

Supplication is going to God with a petition.

2. Pray as an expression of a personal need. The first aspect of prayer is God-centered but then it moves into need-centeredness. A believer should always turn first to God. God is never to be a last resort. He's always there to meet our need and to give us contentment. This is also an expression of helplessness. Give up and rest in God. Know God and believe that He will live out in His strength. God is pleased when we come to him this way.

3. Pray as an expression of thanksgiving. Being able to thank God in the midst of our anxiety is an expression of my belief that He is in control of what's happening in my life.

Because of our relationship in JC, we are in God's protection, which keeps anxiety at bay. This is the key to contentment. It can be yours if you ask.

Trust Jesus Christ as your Savior!

God's Call to Genuine Repentance

Luke 24:45--Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations including Jerusalem.

Matthew 3:1--In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Matthew 4:17--From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

JC began His ministry preaching about repentance.

There are 2 concepts of repentance in the NT.
Repentance-heartfelt sorrow.
Genuine Repentance-heartfelt sorrow for sin against God AND a sense of change. A commitment to forsake sin and to walk in obedience to JC. The emotional reaction (guilt, shame, etc.) to sin is NOT genuine repentance. Holy God cannot tolerate sin. His unconditional love for us does not mean that He disregards our sin.

What about the scripture that does not mention repentance. What about people who believe in JC but have not repented.
John 3:16--
Romans 10:--

To believe in JC involves and includes repentance. This was understood by 1c. believers.

Every time someone "believes" in the NT, there some action occurring. Faith and repentance are inseparable. That means there will be a change in my conduct and my character. When you trust JC with genuine repentance, you will have a new beginning. That is what it means to be born again.

This does not mean that you will clean up your life. That is the work of HS. Your spirit is renewed but it's HS who allows you to live out this Christian life.

If you are not saved, you have to acknowledge your sinfulness before God. Salvation has nothing to do with works. You can't clean up your past. It's about placing your trust in God to change your life. Salvation is an eternal change of your destiny. Your destiny is to walk as a Godly man or woman.

God hates sin. He loves us. He judges sin because He sees what it does in the life of the believer.

The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11--Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

The Prodigal Son is a good example of genuine repentance. He left home, ate, drank, and was merry. He hit rock bottom, realized his error, decided to return home and leave the pig pen, and confessed his wrongdoing to his father.

God got the son's attention by making him lose everything. God uses this tactic to get people's attention. He's will use it until the person's will is broken. It's not punishment, it's about changing his/her life.

Genuine repentance=heartfelt sorrow, forsaking sin, submitting to the authority/sovereignty of JC.

Confession-homologeo=to agree with.
Genuine confession-confession that He is listening, agreement with Him that He is right, and genuine repentance. Genuine confession and genuine repentance are inseparable.

Genuine confession occurs when you surrender, let it go. Surrender is the key. I'm willing to walk away from what God says does NOT belong in my life.

Partial obedience=disobedience.

If I genuinely repent of my sin, that means I lay it down. That does not mean that I won't do it again. (UnGodly habits, differing norms, etc.) But HS will bring to our mind what is sin and what is NOT sin. HS will convict our sin.

Proverbs 28:13--He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

The Power Within

The power of the Holy Spirit (PHS) is available to every believer to help you accomplish what God has called you to do. It is not limited only to preachers, teachers, pastors, ministers, etc.

PHS is the divine energy God expresses through us. PHS is the divine authority that allows someone to accomplish what s/he is called to do.

Acts 1:8--"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The power of HS is referred to in the context of witnessing.

PHS should not lie dormant within us. We are to use it to carry out the work that God has called us do.

Walking in the HS is us being filled with HS and He is free to do through us what He chooses.

Anything that glorifies man is NOT of God. Any work of God will glorify God. Only God can perform miracles, answer prayer, forgive sin. God flows through people and only those who are clean and pure. HS indwells us to use us and to flow through us. God's supernatural power lives inside of us. He wants to release it in our lives. But PHS does not flow throgh disobedience. It flows through someone who is submitted to its power.

Luke 4:14--Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.

God expresses His power through us
1. through the fruit of the spirit. God seeks to creat Godly character in us. This will make us a strong witness because God's character, peace, and faith within us will attract unbelievers to JC.
2. to provide a way for us to relate to us in the body of JC and carry on the work of God successfully;
3. as a defense system. God gave us HS to make our need a reality. He gives us power and authority in our areas of weakness. PHS is not available for me to use, but to flow through me to be used by God.

Galatians 5:22--But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

PHS is used to produce Godly works through the gifts He has given to us.

2 Corinthians 6:1--As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.

We are partners with God. He uses HS to express His power for us to do His ministry here on earth. We have been given one or more spiritual gifts that each believer indwelt by HS so that we can serve Him in the kingdom of God. Spiritual gift is a special ability given to you by God to equip us to serve Him.

1 Peter 4:10--Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Sap-->Vine-->Branch-->Fruit

God wants His kingdom to bring in millions of people to JC. He equipped (gifted) us to accomplish this. If you don't use your gift, you lose it! You can't hold your gifts and serve God.

God owns you. He has the right toi tell you how, where, and when. To do otherwise is sin. The only way to get rid of sin is to repent. Choose not to waste anymore of your life!

The Abiding Life

Salvation and victory in the Christian life, victory over adversity is for everyone. He offers it to all who are willing to claim it.

God didn't make any false promises. He didn't intend for you to not have peace and joy. But there are many discouraged Christians.

John 15:1--"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

God never intended for you to live the Christian life.

The Christian life is not the product of the fruit, it is a product of the branch.

God wants you to rely on him. He wants you to rest in the vine.

God's Gift

I have all of Him. How much of me does God have of me?

We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to be filled with the Spirit of God.

Epesians 5:11--Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

At first, things were gong well in your Christian walk, but as time went on, you began to experience defeat. This could be so because you were not taught well. You were not taught that you were not given the strength to live the Christian life.

The Spirit Filled Life is a gift from God.

John 4:13--Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 7:37--On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

JC spoke of the HS as living water (well, river). When HS came down at Pentecost, He came to live inside of us.

John 14:16--And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will beF72 in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:26--But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The fullness fo the Spirit of God is a gift of God. We don't have to wait for HS because He has already come. He lives inside of us. Every believer is indwelt by HS. When God gave you HS, He filled you up with HIm. You've gotten all of the HS you can ever get. We received Him when we were saved.

The issue is how much of me does He have? The Spirit Filled Life is about how much of me does He have.

Why isn't Jesus enough?

How much of you He has is determined by whether you are filled with Him.

Acts 2:4--All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

Acts 4:31--After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

They were filled with HS. They don't pray Him down, HS comes down and fills them. HS fills every single believer.

Paul says we are to be filled BY the Spirit of God. The SFL is a life lived in submission to HS; under the control of HS. The Spirit of God ministers through us as He controls us. This leads to a life of fruitfulness and productivity.

The purpose of the SFL is to enable us to live the live He wants us to live and to do the work that He wants us to do. You cannot live the Christian life. God gave us HS to enable us to do what we cannot do.

A Spirit Filled Christian has a hunger for God.

If I am not living under submission to Him, then I am not living the Spirit Filled Life.

Requirements to be Spirit Filled: Absolute, total conviction that you CAN"T do it.

SFL is a life of control, submission, yeildedness to Him. Any time I reserve a part of me from Him, then I am not living the SFL. We are SF ONLY when we are totally surrendered, submitted, dependent, yeilded. To be SF is to be living in total submission to HS. I have transferred all authority in my life to Him. HS is in control of body, soul, money, job, friends, church, goals, everything. He will empower you. The emphasis is that we are to be dominated by HS.

Give up the right to self.

A Pattern of Powerful Prayer

How do you answer the question, "How can I pray for you?" Often times we want to pray for someone but we don't know what to pray for them. So, we wind up praying general prayers.

Colossians 1:9--For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins.

This prayer is a powerful prayer. It has within it, the energy, strength, and authority of God. This based on our relationship with God. it's based on truth. We have the confidence that God will answer this prayer.

1. Knowledge of His will: Knowledge means more than just an idea. it means a fullness of the understanding of the will of God. This is not factual knowledge but experiential knowledge.

2. Walk worthy of the Lord: walking in a fashion that is in keeping with who we are.

3. Bearing fruit in every good work: this is a request for a wise investment for their life. Busy-ness is not good work and all works are not good works.

4. Increase in the knowledge of God: growing in the Lord. This is not just head knowledge. This is an experiential growth in the knowledge of God. As you increase in the knowledge of God, you will experience a new freshness, rejuvenation, energy, excitement about your life. The more you learn about the Lord, the more excited you get about praying. Sometimes pain is God's mechanism to bring you into an understanding of Him.

5. Strengthen with all power according to His might: we could not know who God is without the HS. Don't trust in your own strength. Be humbled and learn to trust in God. Don't do things in your own strength.

6. Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints.

God will answer this prayer. If we make any petition according to his will, he hears us. If we trust God with prayer, He will make a difference in someone's life.

Seeking God's Guidance

How do you make important decisions in your life? Believers start with the premises that There is a God who has a will/plan for our life. He is interested in our life, He has our best interest at heart.

Psalm 16

16:7--I will praise the LORD , who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

God will guide and direct us in our life.

1. God has promised to give us Godly guidance. "You have made known to me the path of life."

Psalm 32:8--I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Proverbs 3:5-6--Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 58:11--The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Psalm 16:8--I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

I John 5:14--This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

It is God's will to seek Godly guidance. He promises to direct us. He promises to refresh us.

Genesis 12--God gave Abraham sparse guidance but clear direction. He gives us a sense of direction. As we trust him day by day, His guidance becomes clearer and clearer.

It is the character of God that He would give us very clear guidance in every decision we make. Since it's His will for us to obey and please Him, it's His responsibility to show us want to do. It's not in God's character to make us guess at what we're supposed to do. God will certainly give us Godly guidance if we seek it.

2. We have a pilot in our search for Godly guidance. JC promised to send a Helper/Teacher/Guide. It's HS's responsibility to guide us. HS is living in us to guide/direct us.

Psalm 16:7--I will praise the LORD , who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

When we're asleep, the HS has absolute undisturbed control of our mind. Our mind is highly active when we're awake. But when we're asleep, the things that we are seeking guidance for from God, HS will reveal God's guidance to us (often in the middle of the night.) That is the work of the HS.

I Corinthians 2:12--We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Unbelievers can't understand the things of HS because they don't have HS to help them interpret/understand. Believers understand things of HS not because we're smarter, but because we have HS in us, guiding us.

First, you must believe that there is a God. He sent His one and only Son to die and pay for our sins. If you accept His son, Jesus Christ, and confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, and accept Christ as your lord and saviour, that is when you become a child of God, and can receive clear guidance from God through HS. Put your faith and trust in God. He is trustworthy and loving. He will give you Godly, which is the best direction you can ever receive.

We must watch out for the pitfalls when seeking God's guidance.

1. Strong fleshly desires. There is nothing wrong with having natural desires. We must assess what is controlling our decision-making powers. We must ask, "what's the will of the Father?"

2. Wrong counsel. Everyone can offer advice. But they don't have to suffer the consequences. But we can go to the decision maker Himself. He wants us to be able to discern His mind so we know His will for our life.

3. Impatience. We must have patience. I will wait here until I get further orders. I refuse to run ahead.

4. Doubt. Some people feel that they are not worthy of hearing from God. Others feel disappointed by past unanswered prayer. Others misinterpret God's guidance, then things didn't go as desired and they conclude that prayer doesn't work.

If we have sincere motives, God will use our experience for good, no matter what.

5. Pressures. There's external pressure (friends, family, etc.). But those people don't know God's will for your life. So we must be careful of the external pressure. There's also time pressure. We are sometimes forced by the circumstances to make a decision. Other times, the pressure of the circumstances themselves will force us to have to make a decision. Internal pressures come from promptings of HS.

How do we find genuine Godly guidance?

1. Cleansing. We must first look at ourselves. What in my life will hinder me from seeing your guidance?

2. Surrendering. If I am going to deal with things, I have to surrender my will to Him. I must bring my will under submission to His.

3. Asking.

1 John 5:14--This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

4. Meditating on the Word of God.

Psalm 119:105--Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

God may use His word to reveal other thing that needs to be cleansed from our lives.

5. Believing.

Mark 11:22--"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

6. Waiting.

Isaiah 64:4--Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

7. Receiving.

If you've done these things, you will know that you've heard from God.

When Facing Challenges

II Chronicles 20

When facing challenges, we pray. We should have afoundation on twhich to base that prayer.

1. God is interesated in what I'm facing. He's interested in every challenge I face in my life.

20:2--Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD , and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.

2. God is greater than our challenge.

20:6--"O LORD , God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.

Jehoshaphat knew that God was interested in his challenge, God knew his challenge, and God was greater than the challenge.

3. Seek the LORD in prayer.

20:3--Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD , and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.

God is the God if heaven. He is the Lord over all nations. The smartest, wisest thing to do is to lie before God in prayer. In our prayers, we should include the attributes of God in them. This will add power to our petition. Fix our eyes on God.

Jehoshaphat included others in his prayer. He humbled himself and told his people, "I can't do it." It is a sign of wisdom, not weakness, to say you can't do it and include others in your prayer. There's strength, power, boldness in that.

God will give you a solution to whatever you're dealing with. Don't shout-out someone through whom God will send that solution.

20:14--Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Focus your prayers on the attributes of God and your prayers will have more power because they will. What God requires of us will be simply but it will always require faith. God works on our behalf on the basis of our faith in order to increase our faith.

20:20--Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD , for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

God was sending a message: Jehovah God, the God of Israel, is the only true God. Israel didn't even draw a sward. God defeated 3 armies on their behalf. Trust Him and He will bless you, no matter what.